You are warmly invited to join us in Santarém, Portugal, for the International Staff Week 2026 – “AI Driven and Sustainable Futures for Higher Education”, hosted by ISLA Santarém – Polytechnic University from 16–20 March 2026, featuring a keynote, hands on workshops on AI in teaching and learning, round tables and debates on European alliances, cooperation and blended intensive programmes among others, an Academic Fair (“Your University Represented”) and “Your University in 50 Seconds”, a full Culture Day in Santarém and the Ribatejo’s region with lunch and joint dinner, and a relaxed farewell with reflections and certificates; the working language is English and the event is aimed at academic and administrative staff interested in AI, pedagogy, internationalisation and sustainable institutional development.
Programme
Monday – Day 1
Welcome, integration and local context
14:00 – 14:30 | Registration and Welcome Coffee
Participant registration, welcome packs (programme, badges, campus and city maps) and informal networking.
14:30 – 15:00 | Official Opening and Institutional Presentation
Formal welcome by ISLA Santarém – Polytechnic University’s leadership and introduction to the institution, its regional role and strategic priorities.
15:00 – 15:30 | “Your University in 50 Seconds”
Ultra‑short presentations where each participant introduces their university, city and country in a concise and creative format.
15:30 – 16:00 | Reception at Santarem’s City Council – “Main Hall”
16:00 – 17:00 | Campus Tour
Guided visit to key facilities (classrooms, labs, library, learning spaces).
17:00 | Coffee break / Network
Tuesday – Day 2
Framing the future: keynote and first workshop
09:30 – 10:00 | Morning Coffee and Networking
10:00 – 10:30 | Keynote Speaker: “AI‑Driven and Sustainable Futures for Higher Education”
(Prof. Dr. Marco Valério – Niccolò Cusano university, Italy)
Plenary address on the impact of AI on teaching, learning, academic work and institutional sustainability, followed by Q&A.
10:30 – 11:30: | Workshop 1 “Reimagining Teaching and Learning with Generative AI”
(Chair: Dr. Dana Simian Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Romania)
Practical cases and small‑group work on AI‑supported course design, feedback and assessment, with attention to ethics and academic integrity.
11:30 – 14:30 | Lunch break (free time)
14:30 – 17:00 | City Visit
Evening | Free time
Wednesday – Day 3
Sharing practices: Academic Fair – challenges and opportunities
09:30 – 10:00 | Morning Coffee
10:00 – 12:00 | Academic Fair – “Your University Represented”
Mini‑fair where each institution has a small stand or table to present programmes, internationalisation strategies and AI‑related practices in teaching and governance.
12:00 – 12:30 | Coffee Break and Open Discussion: Lessons from the Fair
Joint reflection on common challenges and opportunities emerging from the Academic Fair.
12:30 – 14:00 | Lunch break (free time)
Internationalisation, alliances and project co‑creation
14:00 – 14:30 | Session: “Collaborative Networks”
(Chair: Dr. Amalia Cristina Nedelcut – Babeş-Bolyai University, Romania)
Discussion on alliances, joint programmes and shared digital infrastructures, including AI‑enabled cooperation tools.
14:30 – 15:00 | Session:“Blended Intensive Programmes and AI‑Enhanced Mobility”
(Chair: Dr. Krzysztof Sroka – Humanitas University, Poland)
Exploration of how BIPs and virtual components can make mobility more sustainable and inclusive, supported by AI.
15:00 – 15:30 | Coffee break and networking
15:30 – 16:30 | Workshop 2 “Co‑creating AI‑Enabled and Sustainable Projects”
(Chair: Dr. Olga Tsaryk – West Ukrainian National University, Ukraine)
Group work on concrete ideas for joint modules, BIPs, staff training and research collaborations.
Evening | Free time
Thursday – Day 4 – Culture Day – Santarém’s Holiday
09:00 – Departure from Santarém
10:30 – Guided visit to the town of Óbidos
Guided tour with a local guide, highlighting:
- Historical background of the town
- Medieval walls and urban layout
- Óbidos Castle
- Churches and heritage features
- Local traditions and identity
12:30 – Lunch in Óbidos
14:30 – Visit to FrutÓbidos
- Visit to the FrutÓbidos facilities, with an explanation of the production process
- “Ginja” tasting
16:00 – Return to Santarém
Free time.
19:30 – Dinner (Quinzena I)
Group dinner at a local restaurant with regional gastronomy and cultural elements, reinforcing informal networking. – Evening suggestion: participation in the City Festivities
Friday – Day 5
Informal closure, certificates and departures
09:30 – 10:00 | Farewell Coffee
Informal gathering to start the final day, allowing for last conversations and exchanges of contact details.
10:00 – 11:15 | Informal Reflection and Open Floor
Open mic format where participants (within 1 minute) share key takeaways, future collaboration ideas and personal reflections on the week.
11:15 – 11:45 | Certificates of Participation and Farewell Remarks
Informal closing moment with certificate handover, group photo and short farewell messages, scheduled before lunch to facilitate travel arrangements.
From 12:00 | Departure and Individual Lunch / Free Time
Time for departures according to each participant’s travel plans, or an informal lunch in small groups for those who remain.
Registration
For registration, each participant should apply via the link below by 19th February.